The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-07
A GREAT FORTUNE
Left to the Post Trader at the
Boston Navy Yard.
How $23,25O,OOO Were Acquired
By a Grand-Aunt in Java.

A crand-aunt Of Louis De Beck, the ''post
trader at the Navy Yard in Boston, has left
an immense property in Java, valued at G2,-
OyO,O0O guilders, or about S23, ,0OO This
wealth, says Boston dispatch to the New
York Sun, is to be divided between seven
teen cousins, and Louis De Beck is one OF the
fortunate seventeen. He is the only one who
lives in this country. The others live
in his native land, Belgium. Be Beck
has known for ten years past OF
the prize that was coming to him, and has
waited patiently for the disbursement of the
money. A short time ago he received the no
tice that calls him to Belgium to receive his
share of the property. He will sail soon with
his family, and will return in the winter and
settle down to life of luxury in Boston.
The beginning of this strange story dates
back nearly a century. In about the year
1910 Marie Won Water was employed in the
family of LagasSa, q merchant prince OF
Rotterdam, VINO owned vast coffee planta-
tions in Java, and who had established
an enormous trade between that port
and Rotterdam. The cargoes for his ships
consisted entirely of coffee from the
Java plantations, which were. prepared
for the market by several hundred slaves.
Tss merchant had only one son, and he be-
came enamored of his fathers pretty servant,
and asked her to marry him. The father in
terposed no objections, and the young people
were married. Soon after the marriage the
father and the young couple sailed for Java,
and spent the rest Of their lives on the plan
tation. The father died in a few years, and
the son succeeded to his vast estates
and managed the property so shrewdly that
it increased in value. He died in 1875.
leaving one child, son, and his widow. For
several years the widow took a personal in
terest in managing the plantation for the
benefit of her child, but in 1869 the boy died.
The heart broken woman lost all interest in
her great wealth and left it to her overseers
to care for In 1875 she died, having
lived to the ripe old age of ninety-four
years. The plantations Were in the Holland
colony, and the Government took possession
for the benefit of the heirs. The family ON the
husbands side was extinct, and as the Gov
ernment did not know where to look for the
other relatives, the plantation was then run
in the interest of the Holland Government.
At the time of the Widow Lagassa's death
she owned the vast plantation and more than
four hundred slaves in Java, seventy-four
ships, half dozen barks and several smaller
coasting vessels, together with extensive ware
houses in Rotterdam. A captain OF one OF
the ships was the first to give infol nation
that led to the discovery of the rightful
heir His mother knew that the Widow La
gasSa'S maiden name was Marie Won Water,
and mentioned that fact to her son. The
Captain knew family named Won Watersin
Rotterdam, and the next time he touched at
that point, which was in 1877, he told these
friends that it might be we'll for them to look
up their family history and see if they were not
entitled to some of the property in Java
held by the Holland Government Then it
was that Mr.. De Beck heard of his good
fortune, and he thanked his lucky stars that
his grand haunt was Marie Won Water La
gassa. He and his wife were in Bruges,
Belgium, having gone across the water
quietly chatting, when suddenly
the bell was rung so violently
that the rore was nearly broken. Before the
door could be opened by the family it was
burst in by several excited men who rushed
ND the stairs into the room where the aston.
ished family were standing: A hasty glance
relatives. Everybody spoke at once.
The men were crazy with excitement.
Finally they became calmer, and told the story
of the vast wealth awaiting them. They
counted noses" and found that seventeen
cousins were entitled to equal shares in the
property. They sent out for their friends
and spent the night In merrymaklng.
They didn't then know the value Of the prop.
erty, but they knew that it would bring a good
many thousand guilderS to each OF them. AN
eminent lawyer was engaged to- investigate
the case in their interests. They easily
proved their relationship to the deceased
owner of the Java plantations. Then
the lawyer presented the case to the
Belgian government, supported by all
the necessary legal papers and proofs
After considerable official correspondence be
tween the Belgian and the Holland Govern
ments, the latter sgnified its willingness tc
pay just sum for the property, with inter
est for the time it has been in its hands
The Bel ian Government sent Mr.. Henry NJ.
Stanly, the American explorer, to appraise the
r~-perty in Java. He fixed the valued at
$4,000, 900 guilders, equal to about $23, ,25o, 00o
Of our money. The Holland Government
offers no objection to paying that sum,
and a few months ago the necessary
papers transferring the property was
signed Now all that remains for
tn. interested parties is to aflix
their signatures to the papers, and receive
their share of the money accrued. The prin'
cipal with the interest will amount to nearly
$1,000, 900 for each person. Mr.. De Beck is, OF
course, happy in the prospect of receiving, 50
rouch money, lat ho &;.s not yet givcr w a:&
Oh wn:k.
MI. De becK IS ABOUT forty years old,
pleasant-faced, well-buit man of medium
height He is of dark complexion, and
has dark eyes, dark, curly hair
and dark moustache. His face and speech
shows that he is foreigner, but be speaks the
English language very well. His hanls
show that he has worked all his life, and he
says he has had no time to devote to his